Early Files - February 19, 2020

(25 YEARS AGO) Feb. 23, 1995 - 
Nelson Richason said Monday night that his vote on a proposed one-half percent county sales tax would be “a resounding no.” The Galesville representative’s statement was echoed by 10 other members of the Trempealeau County Board of Supervisors, sending the tax proposal down to defeat. Eight supervisors voted in favor of the tax, one abstained. 

With 1,216 votes, John Damon was the leading vote-getter in the primary for the Trempealeau County Circuit Court Judge with incumbent Alan Robertson finishing second with 1,165. LaVerne Michalak received 530 votes and William Mattka received 382. Damon and Robertson will face off for the judgeship in the April 4 general election.

They’ve relocated the library and rented out office space, and the American Legion Post meets there now. But the change of Whitehall’s “seat of government” wouldn’t really be official until the city clerk/treasurer’s office is moved to the new City Center. That step will take place early next week. 

Dr. Clayton Ham recently joined the staff at St. Joseph’s Hospital and the Arcadia Family Practice of Arcadia. Ham grew up on a farm in Saskatchewan, Canada, where he first became interested in medicine when he was in the 10th grade.

The Arcadia High School wrestling team put forth its best effort of the season last Tuesday night, defeating Cornell 43-24 and Glenwood City 27-25 in the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association team sectional wrestling tournament. Arcadia will meet Wrightstown in the state tournament held at West Allis High School on March 4. 

At least two heating contractors and utilities in the Galesville area will begin answering calls involving carbon monoxide detectors that sound alarms. Midwest Gas and Galesville Excavating, Plumbing & Heating both said they will answer the calls following a request by Galesville Fire Chief Harold Vaughn. 

`A decision on whether to form a chamber of commerce in Galesville that could replace three existing civic groups could come as early as March 2. That’s the view of Norm Faulstich, Bank of Galesville president, who had been working on revival of a group called Citizens for a Greater Galesville. Last week, members of that group formed a 21-member committee to look into the possibility of forming a chamber of some type. 

The city of Blair Police Department has been awarded a COPS FAST grant of $56,913.75. The three-year grant is to be used to hire one additional officer. Blair was one of more than 160 departments in the state to receive the grant under the program through the United States Department of Justice. 

A pilot of a single engine airplane excaped injury after his plane crashed into a plowed cornfield west of Whitehall Monday afternoon. Ted McCaulay, 28, of Londonville, Ohio, piloted a 1955 Beechcraft radioed the La Crosse air tower reporting engine failure. After contact with the air tower was lost, officials with the Trempealeau County Sheriff’s Department assisted in the search for the downed plane along state and county roadways. 

The Trempealeau County board of supervisors voted away its health insurance perk Monday night. The board voted 11-9 to drop tax-funded health insurance benefits for elected county supervisors. Members can stay on the county health insurance play if they pay 100 percent of the premiums. 

(50 YEARS AGO) Feb. 26, 1970 - John and Bill Giebel have purchased the Main St. hardware business and building from John Gilbertson, effective March 2. Gilbertson has owned and operated the store for 28 years, in partnership with his brother Sydney until the latter’s death nine years ago.

Fire in a garage at the John Henrickson home in Coral City Saturday destroyed a litter of 12 four-day-old purebred Irish setter puppies.

The Norsemen defeated Augusta 65-52 Friday night to finish tied for first in the Dairyland Conference with Osseo-Fairchild.

The Very Rev. Edward Sobczyk, co-pastor of Arcadia area churches and dean of the Arcadia Deanery, will celebrate his silver anniversary of ordination to the priesthood on March 1 at St. Stanislaus Church in Arcadia.

Mitch Arnold qualified for the state wrestling tournament in the 175-pound weight class. Arnold set an Arcadia school record with 27 wins in a single season. 

A new and revolutionary elementary education concept is now underway in a few schools in Wisconsin. The concept is called the multi-unit approach and will, in all probability, be introduced to Gale-Ettrick Elementary School students this coming fall. The multi-unit approach to secondary education shies away from the old rigid concept of the strict grade level teaching system, which forced the slower students needlessly and held back the faster learners. 

The Galesville Business Association reported that it hoped to find methods of breathing new life into the Galesville business community during the coming year.

The proposal to attach the Centerville-Tamarack area from Trempealeau to the G-E School District lost in the referendum Friday. 

Mrs. Hans Morken, Blair, has recently had a poem she wrote published in a poetry book.

The “Dunk the Klunk” contest is being sponsored by the Blair Lions Club. Guess when the ‘klunk” will fall into Lake Henry and win.

A collision between a train and a truck occurred at the Highway 95 crossing in Blair when a Schneider Transport Company semi and empty flatbed trailer applied its brakes and slid 160 feet, coming to a stop with just the nose on the track. The truck was thrown in the ditch by the train and the driver was rushed to the hospital. 

(75 YEARS AGO) Feb. 22, 1945 - Nearly 80,000 acres of farmland in Trempealeau County are being subjected to soil conservation practices, according to the annual report of the Soil Conservation District. There are 500 farmers who have adopted complete farm plans, and 83 new members signed agreements during 1944.

A large crowd attended the Pigeon Falls ski tournament held on the Eid hill Sunday, and watched Don Walker of the Flying Eagles of Eau Claire take first place in Class A. Vernon Olson was second. The judges were Gerhard Lovlien and Maynard Sinrud.

A varied assortment of food will be served at the meeting of the Fuller Coulee Community Club tomorrow evening, at which the young women of the community will be the hostesses. The program preceding the lunch will include a vocal solos by Delores Hanson, Orin Nyseth and Shirley Kastad, a reading by Donald Ackley, and a piano duet by Adeline and Helen Lundberg.

A midnight curfew went into effect in the city of Arcadia on Feb. 26. The curfew stated that all taverns, night clubs and dance halls had to lock their doors before midnight. The curfew went into effect to help save fuel and power to aid in war production. 

Pfc. Clarence Moen, 26, son of the Christ Moens of Beach was killed in action.

Mr. and Mrs. C.J. Gibson received a letter from Cpt. Charles Leasum who was released from a Japanese prison camp in Luzon.

Ole Mustad was elected president of the Ettrick Cooperative Creamery at their annual meeting. 

A new heating system was installed at Ettrick Lutheran Church and used for the first time Sunday. 

Blair boy, Pvt. Merlin Anderson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Martin Anderson, died as a result of injuries on the Belgian front in the German “break through.” 

(100 YEARS AGO) Feb. 26, 1920 - The Whitehall Bakery changed hands this week, Mr. Skaten selling to Stuve and Mattson. The individuals of this new firm are Selmer Stuve and Hilman Mattson, the latter having had experience in the trade while in the army, and three months with Mr. Skaten. The boys are wide-awake, active fellows and will no doubt make a success.

The state railroad commission has ruled that it is without authority to compel the consolidation of competing telephone exchanges in a municipality, even though of operation and lower rates to subscribers would result. The commission had recommended a scheme of consolidation for the Ettrick and Galesville, where Western Wisconsin Telephone Co. and the Ettrick Telephone Co. both operate exchanges, but subscribers and shareholders of the latter voted unanimously to pay higher rates rather than consolidate.

D. Wood had an unfortunate accident Saturday, when his horse swerved while crossing the railroad tracks and throwing him out of his cutter. His face struck the rail, breaking his nose and badly bruising him otherwise. He was taken home in an unconscious condition, but is getting along fairly well now.

Martin Brom was assigned to be the assistant highway commissioner for Trempealeau County. Brom was the chairman of the town of Dodge for a number of years before his appointment. His salary will be $1,500 a year and a furnished automobile to conduct business.

In former years, Washington’s birthday was the occasion of much festivity, particularly for mask balls. Times are changing the younger generation is breaking away from the old ideas of having a good time, and the present day jazz, tickletoe and shimmy are not conductive to the maskers’ enjoyment. The Mask Ball is on its way out.

James Cance, Ettrick, prominent citizen and businessman, died at his home Wednesday. He was ill for two weeks with influenza, pneumonia followed. 

Work on Galesville’s new $250,000 canning factory has begun. The first material to reach the site is a large quantity of sand. The plant will be solid brick. 

Two Hardies Creek area residents have died victoms of influenza and pneumonia. They are Melvin Hanson, 28, and Mrs. George Button, 23. 

Now that Winona has dumped all its beer into the sewer, natives resort to other means for that joyful feeling — none other than that old friend of the housewife, the familiar lemon extract. A man was recently fined $10 in court for intoxication on lemon extract. 

(125 YEARS AGO) Feb. 21, 1895 - The removal of the M.E. church downtown will destroy one of the greatest excuses of our non-church-going people for habitual absence from divine services.

Gotlieb Belor of Hale had his upper jawbone broken and his face badly cut by the kick of a horse while driving to town Tuesday. He was walking, and when stepping up by the heels of his team, one of the horses struck him in the face, knocking him senseless.

The Epworth League of Independence has extended an invitation to the Whitehall league to meet with them tonight, and the invitation has been accepted. Sleighs will be provided, and everyone is invited to go.

The payroll of the Whitehall creamery for the month of January, disbursed last Friday, amounted to $4,160, the largest in the history of the institution. The price per gauge was 18 cents. Our creamery is getting to the front, and there is no mistake about it.

William Dutter, the Eleva barber, was arrested again Thursday and brought before County Judge Odell, charged with selling liquor without a license. On his examination Tuesday, he was bound over to the coming term of circuit court, in bonds of $300, which he furnished. A large number from Eleva attended the examination.

Hale — Ed Olson, who went to Norway last fall to visit relatives, returned a short time ago. Ed says there is no place like Hale for him.

 

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